News Photo Anna Smith.
Young pig racers, The Notorious P.I.G, Britney Spareribs, Amy Swinehouse and Snoop Hoggy Hog, round the track as part of the pig racing show on Thursday.
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Pig Racing has come to theMedicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede after roughly 15 years without the attraction.
Andrew Pogson, pig wrangler and owner of Aces Flying Pig Races, has been in the business for 30 years, and he is proud to be bringing around Canada’s only touring pig racing show to Stampede.
“We tour coast-to-coast with 12 pigs, three races of four, showcasing different breeds and different skills. We start in Vancouver, but we also have an East Coast tour, and then a stateside tour as well,” said Pogson.
The pigs themselves are all young, roughly 25 weeks old. They have been racing for most of their lives and will return to life on the farm and a breeding program when they get older.
For now, however, they are tempted to the track with fresh fruit as a reward for their efforts.
Aces Flying Pig Races showcases a variety of pig breeds, though the team that is currently racing on the Stampede Grounds are largely Berkshire pigs.
Pogson says they have brought in a heritage breed before, but the ones present offer some diversity for the audience’s enjoyment.
Within the breed, Pogson says they seek out high energy pigs who will bring a strong drive for racing, much like selecting puppies for canine sports.
He adds they have been trying to get the right scheduling to be able to be part of Stampede for quite some time, and he says they have been thrilled to get to be a part of the community for the celebration and they hope to return for years to come.
“The people here are phenomenal. Just even on some of the errands that we’re having to run, people are lovely,” said Pogson. “We’re looking forward to a lifetime of being part of the community here.”
Pig Racing will take place daily on the grounds in the parking lot in between the Stampede Office and Pioneer Village at 1:15 p.m, 3:45 p.m and 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
Those interested in more information are invited to visit fusiontalentgroup.com for more information, and anyone with an appropriately “punny” name idea for a pig is encouraged to drop by with their suggestions between races.
